Puyallup Students Accepted to Honor Ensembles

Posted on 01/24/2022

Congratulations to 60 elementary, junior high, and high school music students who have been accepted to State Honor Ensembles. Students were selected for one or more of three prestigious honor groups consisting of the Washington State Music Educators (WMEA) All-State Honor Groups, Western International Band Clinic (WIBC), and Northwest High School Honor Band at Pacific Lutheran University.  These top musical programs develop the skills of student musicians and school music programs for students in bands, choirs, and orchestras. 

Students prepared and submitted rigorous musical excerpts which were reviewed by anonymous panels in each organization.  Panels reviewed audition submissions by category from students across the state, and in some cases, the entire northwest region. Students were accepted based on the accuracy and musicality of their recordings and some were accepted to more than one ensemble.

 Auditions for the WMEA All-State Honor Groups began in September with a deadline of Oct. 1. There were 6,000 auditions held statewide and 1,230 students were accepted to participate in the 2022 WMEA State Conference in Yakima on Feb. 19 for junior high and Feb. 20 for high school. The number of auditions was down by 2,000 this year.  Conductors from all over the country work with the high school students and they perform a concert in the evening. State college music conductors work with the younger students who also perform a concert.

 High school students chosen for the WMEA All-State Honor Groups are invited to audition for the national honor groups.

 The Western International Band Clinic is held annually in November. Students prepare three musical etudes and record them for submission in early October. Directors, students, composers and educators from all over the west coast and nation travel to the three-day event for educational sessions, honor band rehearsals and performances.  For adults, it is professional growth, for our students, it is a recognition. http://www.bandworld.org/WIBC/.

 High School Band directors nominate outstanding band members for the PLU NW HS Honor Bands in October.  Pacific Lutheran University takes the 500+ nominations and selects about 180 students and places them into two groups. The event was scheduled for January 8^th and 9^th and is now postponed until later in the year.

 Congratulations to the following Puyallup School District Music Students!